Complications on Rules Exist

While employees may not accept gifts from prohibited sources or gifts given because of his or her official position, exceptions and exclusions exists, for example, where individual items are valued at less than $20 per occasion and a total of $50 from one source in a calendar year, the guidance said. It said however that the rules governing the acceptance of gifts are not identical to the rules governing the reporting of gifts. For example, it might be ok for an employee to accept a gift and not report it, such as an inexpensive book from a contractor, but a gift from a friend such as a $350 ticket to a sporting event must be reported. Gifts worth at least $122 must always be reported when the total value of all such gifts from one source exceeds $305 in a calendar year, OGE said. It said filers are required to accurately identify the source of the gift, the value of the gift, and a brief description of the gift – where “gift” excludes items such as “food and beverages which are not consumed in connection with overnight lodging.”